Every good party needs a clown to provide the laughs, and it was Zorro Lim (not his real name) on the PAP roster yesterday. At the Budget debate, NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say rejected renewed calls by several MPs, including Inderjit Singh and NMP Lawrence Lien, for a minimum wage system. Instead of speaking up for the workers that he is supposed to represent, he is strangely the one voicing the objection, even if we know all along that the government is never keen on the idea.

MP and head of NTUC FairPrice Seah Kian Peng feels “insulted” by Workers’ Party MP Png Eng Huat’s comments questioning why NTUC FoodFare is entering the hawker centre business in Bukit Panjang. As reported by Channel NewsAsia today, Seah asserted “…for the avoidance of doubt, NTUC FoodFare does not enjoy any subsidised rental from government or NEA (National Environment Agency) in any of the premises they occupy as Mr Png suggested. They have to make an offer and if successful, pay market rates for the (use of the) premises, like anyone else.

THE concept of Singapore becoming a "cheaper, better, faster" economy should not be mistaken for doing the same with less, because that would mean zero economic growth, labour chief Lim Swee Say said yesterday. In his closing speech at the NTUC Ordinary Delegates' Conference, Mr Lim said that companies and workers must share the same interpretation of the "cheaper, better, faster" (CBF) strategy, which must not be misconstrued as downsizing and retrenchment, cutting wages and benefits, or compromising on safety.

Stressing the importance of social enterprises in building an inclusive society, Member of Parliament Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC) yesterday defended the role of NTUC Foodfare, which he said provided Singaporeans with affordable cooked food amid “rampant” price increases by private food and beverage (F&B) operators. He was responding to Workers’ Party MP Png Eng Huat’s (Hougang) comment during the Budget debate on Monday about NTUC Foodfare being a “members-only organisation” where only union members can enjoy special food prices and value meals.

Imagine a Singapore where every CEO, director and senior management staff was a foreigner. How would that make you feel? Please don’t misunderstand; I don’t have anything against foreigners, and I don’t hate them. In fact, I have plenty of friends who are foreigners. Furthermore, I spent four years living in the U.S. (I’m a Singaporean), so I know what it’s like to be a foreigner.

Janil’s call for free public transport at pre peak hours was touted as the best speech in Parliament. Many MPs are out in full support of his suggestion that between 7am to 7.45am travelling in public transport should be free to ease congestion. I also support free transportation. Who doesn’t? But this is a very bad idea, an idea that is floated without much thinking. Do the MPs know that even before 7am the trains are already full, may not be as jam packed as peak hours, but with very little room for more? I am not sure about buses. This only shows that the MPs are all living in lala land.

This Govt’s initiative is to cool down the hot car market where the COE premiums have been breaking record after record in the past many months. With less financing, the COE premiums will be expected to come down. However on 2 Mar, mainstream media reported news that credit companies are not affected by MAS’ restrictions as they come under the Hire Purchase Act, which is administered by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). In other words, these credit companies do not come under the purview of MAS.

This morning while sending my daughter to school, i drove past a wheelchair bound gentleman pushing himself on a three lane congested road. Feeling uncomfortable about his plight, I decided to make a U-turn to assist him. Didn't quite know where to stop my car, I instinctively pulled into the Good Shepherd Cathedral car park to look for him. But God has it his way, I found him in the car park. Told him I will send him to wherever he was heading but he was reluctant initially mentioning that he takes this road to work every day. Grateful nonetheless, he accepted my ride to his workplace at Shenton Way.

The Government had introduced the Medisave scheme in order to ensure that our citizens will not find themselves in a situation in which the medical centres of the highest excellence will not be out of reach of its needy citizens. The Government had also eschewed health insurance on the ground that this will lead to spiralling health care costs and the abuse of medical services. But health insurance is only a problem if it is coupled with private medical care.